Communications networks (e.g., optical communications networks) may contain several network conduits (e.g., optical fibers) that may need to be tested on a daily basis. An output (e.g., optical power) of a network conduit may be measured by measuring a connection point of the network conduit. A connection point may include a male connector interconnected with a female connector. Technicians typically need to measure optical power in both directions of a given connection point because many times technicians cannot determine whether a direction of the connection point is a transmit direction or a receive direction. For example, the labels for the transmit direction or the receive direction may be incorrect, or there may be incorrect connectors for the connection point.
To test a connection point, the male and female connectors may be disconnected and accessed with a measurement device (e.g., an optical power meter). Most existing optical power meters only have a single female receiver head for receiving male connectors. Typically, the male connector of the network may be provided within the single female receiver head of the power meter, and the power meter may measure the optical power output to or by the male network connector.
To measure the optical power of the female network connector, a jumper that includes the same type of connector as the female network connector may need to be located. One end of the jumper may be connected to the female network connector. The other end of the jumper may be provided within the single female receiver head of the power meter, and the power meter may measure the optical power output provided to or by the female network connector.
Thus, there may be several steps involved in measuring a single connection point of a network conduit, and the procedure may be very time consuming. Many times the measured optical power output of the first measured connector (i.e., the male network connector or the female network connector) may be forgotten by a technician prior to measuring the second measured connector, requiring the technician to duplicate measurement of the first connector.
Single fiber bi-directional communications (SFBDC) can eliminate half the amount of optical fiber needed for an optical network. Implementing SFBDC in an optical network (e.g., a dual fiber network) requires changing optical equipment transmitter/receiver modules to, for example, small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceivers. Depending on designs, such a change can impact not only equipment architecture but also network operation procedures.
For example, some SFBDC solutions utilize two different types of SFPs (e.g., transmitting two different wavelengths, such as a “1550” nanometer (nm) wavelength and a “1310” nm wavelength). In such solutions, it is difficult for a field technician to identify which SFP should be used for an optical fiber because normal optical power meters are not able to distinguish a wavelength of a measured power. The field technician may utilize a special power meter (e.g., which can distinguish wavelengths) to identify which SFP should be used for an optical fiber. However, the special power meter is an expensive piece of equipment, and the technician would have to transport the special power meter in addition to a normal power meter.